Summary of this article
Devdutt Padikkal scored a 26-ball 55 against GT in IPL 2026
He brought up his fifty in just 20 balls
Padikkal's fifty eased pressure off Virat Kohli in a big chase
While Virat Kohli’s presence always looms large at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, it was Devdutt Padikkal who provided the sheer ballistic force in RCB’s pursuit of 206 against the Gujarat Titans. Returning to his former home ground in top gear, the left-hander smoked a blistering half-century that effectively broke the back of the chase, reaching the milestone in just 20 deliveries.
Padikkal’s innings was characterized by fearless shot-making from the moment he walked out to join Kohli. With the required run rate hovering around double digits, he wasted no time in settling, launching a relentless assault on the Titans' pace battery. He was particularly severe on Kagiso Rabada and Prasidh Krishna, using his long levers to dispatch anything short or wide over the deep mid-wicket boundary
By the time he reached his fifty with a lofted shot over the boundary against Rashid Khan, Padikkal had already smashed 6 towering sixes and 2 boundaries, maintaining a staggering strike rate of 203.
What stood out in Padikkal’s knock was his ability to target the V while also playing unconventional flicks against the deliveries drifting down the leg. His 27-ball 55 served as the perfect catalyst, allowing Kohli to take down pace at the other end without the pressure of a climbing asking rate. The pair’s 117-run partnership shifted the momentum entirely, turning a daunting target into a manageable equation.
For the Bengaluru faithful, seeing Padikkal dominate at the Chinnaswamy was a nostalgic reminder of his early IPL years. His ability to read the bounce and exploit the short boundaries proved to be the difference-maker. As he eventually fell to the bowling of Rashid Khan, he left RCB in a commanding position.
